Buffalo question

08 February 2011, 06:33

Randy Routier

Buffalo question

What exactly is a Buffalo that has soft bosses? Please excuse my ignorance but I'm trying to learn.

08 February 2011, 07:53

JBoutfishn

Let me expand on this a bit. The area in the center of the forehead on a young bull is soft and covered with hair. As the bull matures the horns grow replacing center area with bone until all of the hair is gone and the bull has "hard bosses".

I am sure there are some here who can be more technical but I hope this helps.

Jim "Bwana Umfundi"
NRA

08 February 2011, 08:07

JudgeG

quote:
Originally posted by JBoutfishn:
Let me expand on this a bit. The area in the center of the forehead on a young bull is soft and covered with hair. As the bull matures the horns grow replacing center area with bone until all of the hair is gone and the bull has "hard bosses".

And then, many bulls wear down those bosses into gnarly and wonderfully worn mounds of character.

I am sure there are some here who can be more technical but I hope this helps.

JudgeG ... just counting time 'til I am again finding balm in Gilead chilled out somewhere in the Selous.

08 February 2011, 08:18

Biebs

Randy, when he stops looking like he has 2 separate horns, and starts looking like he's wearing an X-LG Vikings helmet, get up on the sticks!

08 February 2011, 09:10

Andrew McLaren

Randy,

Methinks the concept of "soft bosses" were well explained by previous posters. All that now remain is for you to get some photos of groups of buffalo and look closely at the area in the middle of their heads. You will soon see what the explanations means. Also look at trophies posted in the Hunt Report section. Those are mostly - but not all

- hard bossed older bulls.

In good hunting.

Andrew McLaren.

Andrew McLaren
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08 February 2011, 09:52

Karl S

Randy, as a picture can be worth a 1000 words, here goes:

This is what is widely considered solid:

Here is what some people will think is slightly soft, but they are in actual fact totally solid. Just because the bosses are split, some may confuse it with soft bosses..

And finally here is an example of a boss that is slightly soft, when left to rot, or cooked, a significant part of that boss will quickly deteriorate:

Karl Stumpfe
Ndumo Hunting Safaris www.huntingsafaris.net
karl@huntingsafaris.net
P.O. Box 1667, Katima Mulilo, Namibia
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08 February 2011, 20:51

Blacktailer

Here are a couple after they are cooked. The one on the left was a real old warrior and his horns were bosses were worn really smooth. There is only about a 1/2 inch gap between his horns after he was cleaned up. The one on the right while fully mature has a slightly larger gap.

Here is a picture of the one on the right.

And here is a picture of the one on the left.

Have gun- Will travel
The value of a trophy is computed directly in terms of personal investment in its acquisition. Robert Ruark

08 February 2011, 22:50

fujotupu

quote:
Originally posted by Blacktailer:
Here are a couple after they are cooked. The one on the left was a real old warrior and his horns were bosses were worn really smooth. There is only about a 1/2 inch gap between his horns after he was cleaned up. The one on the right while fully mature has a slightly larger gap.

Here is a picture of the one on the right.

And here is a picture of the one on the left.

That dry river bed sure looks familiar - springs on your right?

09 February 2011, 02:06

Blacktailer

quote:
Originally posted by fujotupu:

That dry river bed sure looks familiar - springs on your right?

Yes this is just below the mess hut which BTW is where I shot the camp bushbuck.

Have gun- Will travel
The value of a trophy is computed directly in terms of personal investment in its acquisition. Robert Ruark

09 February 2011, 04:48

Fjold

quote:
Originally posted by Karl S:
Randy, as a picture can be worth a 1000 words, here goes:

This is what is widely con sidered solid:

The one on the back right certainly looks hard headed.

Frank

"I don't know what there is about buffalo that frightens me so.....He looks like he hates you personally. He looks like you owe him money."
- Robert Ruark, Horn of the Hunter, 1953

NRA Life, SAF Life, CRPA Life, DRSS lite

Jim "Bwana Umfundi"
NRA

09 February 2011, 06:07

Randy Routier

Much appreciated. It looks like it is hard to tell how big a gap is going to be between the horns from the dead pictures to the boiled pictures.

09 February 2011, 06:19

7MMNut

quote:
Originally posted by Randy Routier:
What exactly is a Buffalo that has soft bosses? Please excuse my ignorance but I'm trying to learn.

From one Buffalo neophyte to another, thanks for asking this question, I've learned too.

09 February 2011, 09:24

Karoo

One of the motivations for shooting a hard-bossed bull is that a soft-boss bull cannot butt heads to fight for breeding rights.
As a result, despite his length, he is unlikely to have passed his genes on to the herd and should not be killed until he has done so.

09 February 2011, 12:04

Karl S

quote:
Originally posted by Fjold:
quote:
Originally posted by Karl S:
Randy, as a picture can be worth a 1000 words, here goes:

This is what is widely con sidered solid:

The one on the back right certainly looks hard headed.

Frank, that is not his only "hard" part...!

Karl Stumpfe
Ndumo Hunting Safaris www.huntingsafaris.net
karl@huntingsafaris.net
P.O. Box 1667, Katima Mulilo, Namibia
Cell: +264 81 1285 416
Fax: +264 61 254 328
Sat. phone: +88 163 166 9264

09 February 2011, 13:50

Frostbit

quote:
Originally posted by Karl S:
quote:
Originally posted by Fjold:
quote:
Originally posted by Karl S:
Randy, as a picture can be worth a 1000 words, here goes:

This is what is widely con sidered solid:

The one on the back right certainly looks hard headed.

Frank, that is not his only "hard" part...!

TMI

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10 February 2011, 08:48

fujotupu

A few more:

Not solid all the way but quite acceptable.

Another

Nice representative trophy.

As tight and firmly packed as they come (the bosses)

11 February 2011, 01:27

Randy Routier

quote:
Originally posted by Karoo:
One of the motivations for shooting a hard-bossed bull is that a soft-boss bull cannot butt heads to fight for breeding rights.
As a result, despite his length, he is unlikely to have passed his genes on to the herd and should not be killed until he has done so.

When you talk about length how exactly is that measured and do they take any circumferences?

Paul Smith
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11 February 2011, 05:12

Biebs

quote:
The one on the back right certainly looks hard headed. Big Grin

In trophy pix of Cape Buff, Elephant, or hippo, they always make Karl wear a hat to clear up any confusion !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

11 February 2011, 11:34

fairgame

Cracking buff chaps.

fujotopu,

Outstanding trophies.

Had a client on a good buff last year and I told him that he was a bit soft on front. He had no idea what I was talking about and his remark was 'feck that nonsense' and took him. The buffalo was with some other bulls one which was very hard on top but could not get a shot in.

We were both very happy with the outcome.

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12 February 2011, 02:48

Blacktailer

quote:
Originally posted by PSmith:
Here's a worn down old geezer, just like the guy who shot him.

That is a beauty!

Have gun- Will travel
The value of a trophy is computed directly in terms of personal investment in its acquisition. Robert Ruark

12 February 2011, 04:23

safari-lawyer

Then, some things are hard and soft at the same time . . .

And, many apologies as this clearly has nothing to do with buffalo or Africa hunting other than the fact that several PHs tipped this young lady enough that she could have booked a buffalo hunt with the tips.

On a serious note:
Hard

Hard

45" and soft

Soft

12 February 2011, 04:39

Michael Robinson

The clearest indication of a young and soft bull is hair growing up on the forehead in between the horns, down in front.

Great old bulls in these photos.

Mike

Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer.

12 February 2011, 04:42

Fjold

quote:
Originally posted by Karl S:
quote:
Originally posted by Fjold:
quote:
Originally posted by Karl S:
Randy, as a picture can be worth a 1000 words, here goes:

This is what is widely con sidered solid:

The one on the back right certainly looks hard headed.

Frank, that is not his only "hard" part...!

From your position in back of that bull, I hope NOT!

12 February 2011, 04:57

safari-lawyer

quote:
Originally posted by PSmith:
Will: that's awesome.

Oh those cattle you shot are pretty cool too.

Paul, that buff of yours is a BEAST. I like!

12 February 2011, 08:37

Fjold

quote:
Originally posted by spear:
Fujotopu
Very nice Buffalo taken, pitty they did not have the chance to pass on their genes, much.

Wouldn't it be safe to assume that these old guys had been breeding for years?